Financial Integration:
Same-gender and
Mixed-gender Couples


Joanna R. Pepin

University of Toronto


Chandler Fairbanks

University at Buffalo (SUNY)

A greater proportion of married mixed-gender couples pool money than married same-gender couples

Research Questions

  1. Is the gap in financial integration accounted for by variation in demographic characteristics?
  2. Do the associations between integration and relationship stability/quality vary by the gender composition of the couple?

NCHAT

National Couples’ Health and Time Study 2020-2021

a nationally representative sample of U.S. couples aged 20–60
N = 3,348






Key Variables

  • Dependent Variable:
    (0) Not pooling all money and (1) Pooling system

  • Couple Type:
    (1) Man with woman, (2) Woman with man, (3) Man with man, and (4) Woman with woman

  • Marital Status:
    (1) Cohabiting (2) Married

Relationship Quality Measures

Instability

  • feeling trapped
  • think will eventually breakup
  • thought relationship is in trouble

Dissatisfaction

  • happiness with relationship
  • warm and comfortable relationship
  • relationship is rewarding
  • relationship satisfaction

Negativity

  • little arguments escalated
  • partner criticism
  • partner viewed words or actions negatively
  • one of us withdrew when argued

Findings

Descriptive statistics

a table?

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